Join staff from Gallery Pangolin and photographer Steve Russell to view ANIMALIA, a stunning display of sculpture by Anita Mandl, and photographs by Steve Russell.
FREE, but donation appreciated.
BOOK HERE
If you have any trouble booking using the above link, please call 01452 731422 to book your place.
The annual selling exhibition of the Wildlife Art Society International (TWASI). Over 320 works both 2D and 3D. The society provides a focus for the interests of wildlife artists, painters, sculptors and photographers both professional and part time.
TWASI was founded in 1992 and has grown to be one of the leading Wildlife Art Societies in the UK and continues to grow in recognition internationally.
The basic aims of the Society are the promotion of the wildlife art genre in its own right, whilst providing a focus for the interests of all wildlife artists, painters, sculptors and photographers whether they are professional, serious amateur or leisure artists.
There will be demonstrations everyday.
The exhibition will be held in a marquee on the front lawn. Free Entry.
An exhibition of work by Gloucestershire Lettering Arts embracing diverse calligraphy and lettering on the wall, in books, on boxes, pots and textiles. A wide range of styles and techniques transforming words into beautiful works of art. Demonstrations every day.
The group began life as Glevum Scribes, founded in 1991 by professional scribes, sculptors, engravers and tutors, who wished to form a group for people to share their lettering-based interests and to learn from each other. It continues to flourish with a membership of over 60 people.
This exhibition will take place in the Atrium of the Education Centre. Free entry.
Richard Deacon CBE
This display features work by renowned artists and sculptors and comes from Explorers Against Extinction, a campaigning charity with whom Nature in Art has worked in the past.
Amongst the exhibitors are Richard Deacon CBE, Emily Young FRBS, Peter Randal-Page RA, Andy Goldsworthy OBE, Michael Pinsky, David Nash OBE RA, Eleanor Lakelin, Julian Stair OBE, Jon Foreman, Conrad Shawross, Sebastiao Salgado and Michael Kenna.
Extinction is a new initiative for 2024/25 that highlights the effects of climate change issues through art and will help highlight the work and campaigns of the charity.
Selected sculptors and artists were invited to create a special collection of artworks highlighting climate change, including artworks featuring fossils, artefacts, sediments and landscapes from Happisburgh on the east coast of England where Explorers Against Extinction is based. Some participants have produced video works and others have made sculpture using materials taken from Happisburgh itself. David Nash OBE RA, for example, has made a piece from 800,000 – 1 million year old wood preserved in the early sediments found on Happisburgh beach.
Happisburgh is the site of the earliest known human occupation in the UK, dating back 900,000 years. It will be one of the first UK communities lost to coastal erosion. As its sand cliffs are eroded, relics of extinct species and early humans who lived nearly one million years ago are exposed. Fossils from mammoths, elephants and rhinos are found on the beach, together with ancient flint tools and wood from drowned forests – all made extinct by historic climate change.
Extinction takes these relics and uses them to highlight the devastating consequences of climate change through time. Some works will highlight today’s endangered species, threatened by manmade climate change.
The Extinction exhibition is to be launched in April at the Palace of Westminster and then start its tour at Nature in Art. Later it will be visiting Edinburgh, London and Norwich before being shown elsewhere.
Last September saw the death of Nature in Art’s founder, David Trapnell, aged 95. His interest in art and nature was obvious as a boy and, even though he spent his working life as an eminent radiologist, it seemed inevitable that those early influences would emerge in a profound way at some point in his life. Being married to the artist Elizabeth Gray (also known as Ben Venuto), who died in 2022, was the inspiration he needed to embark on what he called ‘his second wind’ – an enthusiastic passion for discovery and learning in the arts that resulted in the establishment of Nature in Art.
David was always a collector. He said that his first collection as a boy was ‘stickers off bananas’(!), but in later life his collecting interests included fossils and stones (which he also polished) to buttons and bottles, clay pipes to bird skulls, postmarks (for which he was an acknowledged expert and published many books and papers) and eighteenth century newspapers to orchids. Even though, for a long time, he was not involved at the coal face at Nature in Art, he was a trustee until his death and was always cheering and encouraging from the sidelines and looking for new additions that might be considered for the collection.
Just a few months before he died, he saw an intriguing door finger plate (made by Spode) with a nature inspired decoration. He wondered whether there were any collections of these items anywhere and set about contacting national and local museums to find out. It seemed not. There also appeared to be no books on the subject either, so he began collecting as many nature inspired finger plates as he could, trawling the internet and finding people to drive him to antique fairs and the like. At the same time he began to undertake research for a paper or booklet on the subject. Sadly, he never got the chance to see that project to its conclusion, but the small selection of finger plates that he did acquire will soon be part of our collection. Some will be included in this display.
Most Friends of Nature in Art will know that the idea of Nature in Art was born in 1982 at a time when David had no money, no collection and no building – just what he hoped was an inspiring idea. He set up a charity to establish and then own and manage a museum. Soon he was winning over hearts and minds, and he did the difficult thing – he got the Nature in Art ball rolling from nothing, so effectively in fact, that within 6 years we had got to the point of opening our doors to the public, following the purchase of Wallsworth Hall in 1987. Then, in 1988, after a huge amount of work, HRH Princess Alexandra opened the museum, which was free of debt and had the beginnings of an unrivalled collection.
Many of the items had been generously donated by artists and private collectors, but David, a treasure hunter at heart, also spent a huge amount of time searching out items that might be added to the collection (and for which funding had to be found too).
That instinct to always be ‘on the hunt’ and looking in new places, stretching our outlook from, for example ‘wildlife’ to ‘nature’, and from just fine art to embrace decorative and applied art too, opened up huge possibilities. That broad view underpins our mission to this day.
So, this exhibition will highlight some of the items that David personally found for the Nature in Art collection, some of which we secured funding for from the likes of the Art Fund, V&A Purchase Grant Fund and others. Of course, there were other occasions when items were found and we could not secure funding or, if they were in an auction, exceeded our budget, but treasure hunting always involves disappointments too!
The stories behind some of the exhibits are recalled in David’s book, ‘Following the Dream’, published last year, priced £14.95.
In addition to some of the items he chose to include in his book, will be other items that have helped broaden the depth and diversity of our collection. As we hope is the case when any visitor comes to Nature in Art, we trust that you find amongst this selection work that you expect to see, but also others that may be unfamiliar, broadening your appreciation and passion for the arts.
An evening talk has been arranged to accompany this exhibition
We are delighted to be welcoming back Rough Diamonds under their musical director Hilary Davies.
Rough Diamonds is a choir of 23 enthusiastic friends, who have spent the past fifteen years wowing audiences both here and abroad with their exquisite four-part a cappella harmony. Their eclectic repertoire of traditional and contemporary folk music is drawn from the British Isles, South Africa, America and beyond. In 2008 the original group spent time singing with The Diamond Choir, a choir of mine workers in South Africa. It was a truly amazing and life changing experience. On their return, ‘Rough Diamonds’ was formed. An evening not to be missed.
This also is one of 25 events taking place across the county celebrating the 25th anniversary of Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers.
£12 including finger buffet.
Doors open 7pm to view exhibits. Finger buffet c.7.30pm followed by event.
TO BOOK, PLEASE CALL Nature in Art during office hours on 01452 731422. Thank you.
Our online booking for this event is temporarily unavailable. Book a ticket HERE.
An illustrated talk by Simon Trapnell.
This is a great chance to find out more about the stories behind some of the exhibits in the Treasure Hunter exhibition, the beginnings of Nature in Art itself and some of David Trapnell’s treasure hunting exploits. Nature in Art did not develop from an already established collection (as many museums have), or the search for a sympathetic use for a building or a desire to use a sum of money to leave a lasting legacy. At Nature in Art’s start there was no collection, no building and no money – just an idea and a dream fuelled by energy and enthusiasm. The items in Treasure Hunter just hint at the journey that we have been on, and still are today.
£12 including finger buffet.
Doors open 7pm to view exhibits. Finger buffet c.7.30pm followed by event.
BOOK A TICKET HERE
© Ryan Stalker
The British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA) is a revered showcase of nature photography in Britain and a crucial reminder of what value our woodlands, wetlands and other ecosystems still hold.
The winners of the British Wildlife Photography Awards 2024 will be displayed at Nature in Art from 23rd July – 1st September. More than 14,000 images were submitted into this year’s competition, with amateur and professional photographers competing for the £5,000 grand prize. An image of a football covered in invasive goose barnacles, having travelled thousands of miles to reach the UK shores, has taken the top prize in this prestigious award.
Photographers competed in 10 different categories in the adult competition: Animal Behaviours, Animal Portraits, Botanical Britain, Black & White, British Seasons, Coast & Marine, Habitat, Hidden Britain, Urban Wildlife and Wild Woods. There were 3 age groups in the young competition: 11 and under, 12-14 years and 15-17 years.
Entry to this exhibition is included in the admission price to the museum.
© Max Wood
© Lucien Harris
There will be two plays on the front lawn of Wallsworth Hall on Sunday 4th August, performed by Tethered Wits, the premiere open-air theatre company in the Cotswolds.
2:30pm
The Railway Children – based on the classic novel by E. Nesbit
All aboard! Tethered Wits invites you to embark on a magical journey filled with fun, music, and heartwarming storytelling.
Meet the Waterbury children: Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis. They are ordinary children living in an ordinary house, until one day, a mysterious event changes their lives forever.
Forced to move to the countryside, they move near a bustling railway, where every passing locomotive brings new mysteries, friendships, and discoveries. Our young heroes find themselves in the midst of a true adventure.
Bring your friends and family together, on a journey that celebrates the timeless power of love, community, and the unbreakable bonds of family.
👨👩👧👦 Age Guidance: 5+ (Fun for all the family!)
🕒 Running Time: 1 hour (no interval)
🚪’Doors open’ 45 minutes before the performance begins for picnics. The Nature in Art Coffee Shop will also be open serving refreshments. Please note that the Coffee Shop will close at 5pm.
Adult: £13.20. Child: £11
BOOK HERE
5:30pm
Jeeves and Wooster in ‘Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves’ – based on the novel by P.G. Wodehouse
Tethered Wits cordially invites you to an uproarious adventure with P.G. Wodehouse’s beloved characters, Jeeves and Wooster!
Enter the whimsical world of Bertie Wooster, an affable young gentleman with a penchant for getting himself in the most outlandish predicaments. Thankfully, he has his razor-sharp valet, Jeeves, to rescue him from all sorts of mishaps.
Facing misadventures, from ill-fated romances to comical escapades, all set against the backdrop of a world filled with eccentric aunts, quirky friends, and a host of unforgettable characters.
Featuring live jazz music, from our ensemble of actor-musicians – a jolly good time awaits you!
👨👩👧👦 Age Guidance: 7+ (Fun for all the family!)
🕒 Running Time: 2 hours (including a 20 minute interval)
🚪’Doors open’ 45 minutes before the performance begins for picnics. Please note that the Coffee Shop will close at 5pm.
General admission: £17.60 . Concessions: £15.40. Under 16: £13.20
BOOK HERE
Find out more about Tethered Wits on their website: https://www.tetheredwits.com/
As part of our programme of displays in the Atrium of the Wallsworth Centre, supporting and highlighting local creative endeavour, we are delighted to be welcoming The Fosseway Artists, a group of Cotswold based practitioners who were founded in 1965. The show features some of the latest work by their professional and semi-professional members. The exhibits explore the theme of nature in art. From bold collage using natural found elements to delicate watercolours and everything in between, there will be a range of styles and media on show. Some of the exhibits will be for sale.